The Difficulty of Being Flawless
by Choirchick16
Summary: The Black Widow has a reputation to uphold. Oneshot.


Author's Note: Realized I hadn't posted anything in a while, so I figured I get this oneshot posted while I had some free time. Enjoy!

 _Disclaimer: Despite everyone I've asked, I still don't own Marvel._

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The Difficultly of Being Flawless

Natasha held her breath to keep her hands steady. The task required delicate precision.

She had done it hundreds of times but still preferred to let the professionals handle it. But she didn't have enough time left to get help. She'd have to handle it on her own.

Natasha glanced at the clock and uttered a swear in Russian. She was cutting it real close.

She replaced the lid of the small jar and examined her nails. Not bad. The black and gold design was classy and elegant and would go well with the floor length dress that she was wearing. She still needed to add the top coat, but Natasha figured it could dry on the way to the gala.

The gala was in Munich and was a fundraiser for a nearby children's hospital, but SHIELD had gotten word that a high profile drug lord would be in attendance. The man in question had slipped through their fingers a year ago and had gone underground until now. Fury didn't want a repeat from a year ago, so he put Natasha on the op, trusting her to bring the drug lord in.

She blew gently on her nails and went through a mental checklist of everything she needed for the evening. Stunning black dress with a slit to mid-thigh for mobility: check. Empty knife holder even higher on her thigh to be filled with a knife that had already gotten through security: check. Clutch containing gala invitation, "Sweet Dreams" lipstick, and several water-soluble sedatives: check. Kick-ass heels that she could kick ass in: check.

Natasha spared a longing glance to the knife on the table wishing she could take it along. It had been a gift from Clint: an anniversary gift for her first year as a SHIELD agent. There had also been a quip about the knife being a reward for her restraint from killing any of the other recruits. The Black Widow's response was a saccharine smile and the words "If you say so." She had later seen Clint bugging Coulson for the whereabouts of all her fellow recruits.

Natasha shook her head. She knew perfectly well that her body was a lethal weapon but having the knife was sometimes a comfort.

Natasha cocked her head when she heard something outside. It wasn't the car SHIELD sent to take her to the gala. They knew better than to try and sneak up on her. No, the soft whisper of clothing and the gentle footfalls on the front porch gave Natasha only a moment's notice to grab the knife off the table before the front door burst open.

The knife flew Natasha's hand and embedded itself in the first man's chest. He collapsed in a heap, but the other two men weren't deterred. Natasha had already vaulted forward but dropped to the ground as bullets peppered the air. She spun on the heels of her hands and lashed out with her feet, taking out the legs of the first gunman.

The second gunman stumbled over his fallen companion, and Natasha used the opportunity to leap up and jam the heel of her hand into the man's nose. Bones cracked under the force.

The back door exploded inward and in came two more gunmen. The two reinforcements immediately opened fire. Natasha wrapped an arm around the man with a broken nose and used him as a human shield. She ducked her head behind her hostage's head as his companions filled his body with lead. Natasha released her hold on the dead gunman, planted a foot on his back, and shoved him toward the reinforcements. They struggled with their comrade's dead weight.

The first gunman suddenly grabbed her foot from his place on the floor. A sharp yank sent her tumbling to the floor. Catching herself before her face collided with the floor, the Black Widow then twisted her body and slammed her free heel into the first gunman's face. He clutched his eye and howled in pain.

Now freed from his hold, Natasha grabbed the man's gun and rolled behind the couch. The gunfire from the reinforcements resumed, and Natasha took a moment to listen to the shots. She determined where both shooters were and then heard the click of an empty chamber. The female assassin appeared over the top of the couch and fired four shots. The first two hit head and heart of one of the reinforcements while the second two missed as the man ducked into the kitchen.

Natasha leaped over the couch, taking a moment to knock the gunman on the ground unconscious with her gun. She dropped the weapon as she advanced toward the kitchen. The barrel of a gun appeared around the wall. Natasha quickly kicked the gun out of the man's hand and turned the corner into the kitchen. She grabbed the man's hand and viciously twisted it, forcing the man to double over. Torqueing her body and planting her free hand on the floor, the Black Widow wrapped her legs around the gunman's head. The move brought the man crashing to the ground. Tightening her thighs around the man's neck, Natasha waited until he fell unconscious.

She grabbed zip ties from a drawer in the kitchen and quickly secured the two unconscious men and checked that the other three were dead. Natasha grabbed the bottle of top coat and her clutch from the table and walked out of the house. The SHIELD limo had just pulled up. The driver opened the door to the back seat, and she slid in.

Once the car started moving, Natasha called out to the driver, "Call Coulson. The safe house has been compromised. He'll find three dead gunmen and two that he can interrogate." She unscrewed the top of the nail polish and started applying the top coat. "Also, tell him that I want my knife back before I get done with this op." If the SHIELD driver was surprised by the requests, he didn't show it.

Natasha finished painting her nails and observed them critically. She took down five armed gunmen with wet nails, and the nails were still flawless.


End file.
